The church at Smyrna

As we move through the messages to the churches let us continue to have this mind-set; “what is said to one church concerns all the churches, in every place and age”. (Matthew Henry)

When it comes to salvation in a believer’s life, very few can claim similar experiences to Moses and Saul (Paul) as God’s voice called to them from the heavens. I imagine their emotions would have been torn between marvel and fear but to have assurance that God had singled them out and personally addressed them amongst the millions of inhabitants of their time carried with it great responsibility. This is my persuasion; the higher the calling the greater the suffering. However with that said the reward for the faithful child of God will in due course overshadow the trial of the day. The Lord Jesus has already proved this to us as He is seated at the right of His Father; “looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:2)   

  

Sin and its slavery subjugates an individual to tolerate so many things that God hates and Christ died for, this is why we need to pay vigilant attention to the voice of God. Although we may not have been summoned at salvation by the audible voice of God, we most certainly were bidden through the eyes of faith; our experience was a real as theirs was, of this I am convinced. That is if you have truly been born again and washed in the blood of the Lamb. I recall the day God place His affirmation in my heart understanding that I belonged to Him, what a day! And it was not the day I put my hand up in a meeting. The penny dropped whilst on my knees with all the clutter of life pushed aside, with my undivided attention locked upon my God; this was the day that God graciously open my eyes to His call upon my life; a marvellous personal encounter, what a recollection knowing that my sins had been forgiven and the joy that brought with it, praise God! It would be good for us to seek those types of encounters with our heavenly Father on a recurring basis.

If you belong to the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob as a soldier in His army, in fact whether you stand upon the His truth or not you belong to God and you will kneel before Him on Judgement Day, confessing Jesus Christ as Lord, that is a given!

Christians must be fanatics with the Word of God if we are to remain protected by it; the closer we live to Christ the sweeter our hope. Sadly there was a day in my Christian experience where I was clinging onto my optimism, living a life of Luke warmness hoping that I would still be saved by fire and by the skin of my teeth; a time in my life where I had lost my way but not completely, God had kept the fire of faith smouldering deep within the crevasse of my soul. If you find yourselves living in a similar place, flee to the Rock, call out to Jesus Christ the Lord and then find obedience and put your faith in Him even if change seems like it would be hopeless and bring with it an abundance of hurt. If it is the right thing to do, it must be done, this is the call God has placed on His children and there will come a day where He will hand out our inheritance; “If our works have been built upon the foundation survives, we will receive our reward. If anyone's work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire. Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you? If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him. For God's temple is holy, and you are that temple.” (1Corinthians 3:14-17)

Great honour has been placed upon the Christian; “For God's temple is holy, and you are that temple.” We must always be listening out for the voice of God just like Moses as he turned aside to see the burning bush; it was only then that God spoke to Him. When the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, "Moses, Moses!" And he said, "Here I am." (Exodus 3:4) 

We must have intent to serve Him. We must hear His voice through the pages of scripture which will be ushered in by the Holy Spirit. Our selfish agendas will never free us from the bondage of sin but when we let go and let God, this is where we find peace, even if this is our fate or rather our privilege; "And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write: 'The words of the first and the last, who died and came to life. "'I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich) and the slander of those who say that they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who conquers will not be hurt by the second death.'” (Revelation 2:8-11)

How do you view the lifestyles of those in the church of Smyrna? They were poor people and yet rich in faith, their lives were filled with tribulation and God chose them for a purpose to suffer for His name sake, even to be put to death for their faith. Do you see this as privilege or something that you would avoid at all costs? God was please with the believers as Smyrna, a church who listened well and who had no need of repentance, phenomenal! This then was their instruction; “Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.” And “The one who conquers will not be hurt by the second death.'” A call with its recompense; we have been called to a lifestyle of faithfulness this then is the cost of our inheritance. The price is faithfulness! Not all will have to taste death for their faith, but some have and there will be those in the future who will suffer the same fate. Are we prepared to be amongst that number, or is that too much of a stretch?

God sent His only begotten Son the Lord Jesus Christ to die for the sinners of the world, you and I; our eyes have been miraculously opened to this truth but it is our obedience that is crucial to God’s call, without it no one will enter the Promise Land. Here is our encouragement; “Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it. For since the message declared by angels proved to be reliable, and every transgression or disobedience received a just retribution, how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? -- ...” (Hebrews 2:1-3)

We must find grace to live a life of obedience and we shall turn the corner when needed if we belong to our God. He will open our eyes to the necessary repentance in our lives, but repent we must! Praise His name now and forever more. Amen and Amen!

Signing off

Tyrone